CLASS OVERVIEW

Focuses on oral traditions, oral history, and oral testimony in African historiography, exploring how African societies have preserved and transmitted their histories through memory, performance, and storytelling.

BEFORE YOU GET STARTED:

• Please check the materials that go with this lesson and print relevant materials.

• Also, check out the books and products the teachers use for further learning.

• Reach out to support@urbanintellectuals.com if you have any questions or issues.

• Some links may be affiliate links where we may earn a small commission from purchases.

World Changer/Teacher: Dr. John Aden

Sources: 

Washington Post article featured during the lesson: https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2024/08/06/indigenous-oral-history/.

Quizzes are not applicable in this class.

Dr. John’s Class #03 Google Slide Presentation Deck: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1eI2mTD4EkMEFzapqSCE0tt7s_nMLgisbxTnco21Sld8/edit?usp=drive_link

Words Shared In The Chat During Class By Dr. John:

Mpiemu

Griot

Jaliw

Jali

Jeli

Jeliw

African Pop/ Praise Singers Mentioned During Class:

Oumou Sanpare

Salif Keita

Book Recommendations Shared by Dr. John Aden During

Class 03: Oral Tradition, Oral History, Oral Testimony by Dr. John Aden:

Oral Tradition as History by Jan Vansina

Falola & Salm

https://amzn.to/3Amv5IZ

African Words, African Voices: Critical Practices in Oral History

White et al.

https://amzn.to/3M731fm

Oral Epics from Africa: Vibrant Voices from a Vast Continent (African Epic)

Johnson et al.

https://amzn.to/4cxgkR4

Epic Traditions of Africa by Stephen Belcher

Belcher

https://amzn.to/3AmcBIS

Sundiata: An Epic of Old Mali

Niane

https://amzn.to/4fNebU2

Sunjata: A New Prose Version

https://amzn.to/3Al62Ge

Sunjata: A West African Epic of the Mande Peoples

Conde & Conrad

https://amzn.to/4fMCjqc

Griots and Griottes: Masters of Words and Music

Hale

https://amzn.to/4csIZqk

History of Africa (4th Edition)

Shillington

https://amzn.to/3X3qHHH

Africa, Volume 1: African History & Culture Before 1900 (2nd Edition)

Falola & Salm

https://amzn.to/46LfsH8

Africa, Volume 2: African Cultures and Societies Before 1885 (2nd Edition)

Falola & Salm

https://amzn.to/4ctBQ9s

Africa, Volume 3: Colonial Africa, 1885 – 1939 (2nd Edition)

Falola & Salm

https://amzn.to/3YMch0a

Africa, Volume 4: The End of Colonial Rule: Nationalism and Decolonization (2nd Edition)

Falola & Salm

https://amzn.to/4czy4vm

Africa, Volume 5: Contemporary Africa (2nd Edition)

Falola & Salm

https://amzn.to/3XjKsey

CLASS OVERVIEW

Discusses the historical method, types of evidence (oral, written, visual, and physical), the role of African universities and research centers, and the importance of language, bias, and perspective in historical interpretation.

BEFORE YOU GET STARTED:

• Please check the materials that go with this lesson and print relevant materials.

• Also, check out the books and products the teachers use for further learning.

• Reach out to support@urbanintellectuals.com if you have any questions or issues.

• Some links may be affiliate links where we may earn a small commission from purchases.

World Changer/Teacher: Dr. John Aden

Sources: 

Sources information and links cited for this class can be found within the Google Slides Presentation below.

Quizzes are not applicable in this class.

Dr. John’s Class #02 Google Slide Presentation Deck: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1zBKGjbkrrD42v8hiIN-3MKc5ihB3vm3kMQnwICCDnjc/edit?usp=drive_link

Book Recommendations Shared by Dr. John Aden During Class 02:

Paths in the Rainforests: Toward a History of Political Tradition in Equatorial Africa

Jan Vansina

https://amzn.to/4dIaJZn

Documents from the African Past: Western African History

Robert O. Collins

https://amzn.to/3yrwo92

Documents from the African Past: Eastern African History

Robert O. Collins

https://amzn.to/3A9NBUV

Documents of the African Past

Robert O. Collins

https://amzn.to/3WAVhai

Problems in the History of Modern Africa

Robert O. Collins

https://amzn.to/3McSPSR

CLASS OVERVIEW

Discusses pre-colonial civilizations, trade networks, cultural diversity, and how European colonialism reshaped Africa’s historical narrative.

BEFORE YOU GET STARTED:

• Please check the materials that go with this lesson and print relevant materials.

• Also, check out the books and products the teachers use for further learning.

• Reach out to support@urbanintellectuals.com if you have any questions or issues.

• Some links may be affiliate links where we may earn a small commission from purchases.

World Changer/Teacher: Dr. John Aden

Sources: 

Sources information and links cited for this class can be found within the Google Slides Presentation below.

Quizzes are not applicable in this class.

Dr. John’s Class #01 Google Slide Presentation Deck: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1QgSbpzJRv2dj8W1E2HZLk-zLFfoVaWSAdOhc39BVdkw/edit?usp=drive_link